Absentee: If unable to vote on election day, ballots can be cast early, either in person at a designated absentee voting place or by mail.

Ballot: A piece of paper, or using an electronic voting machine, to vote for people or about issues in an election.

Booth:  A designated space where individual voters can cast their votes privately

Campaign: The efforts made by a candidate to tell voters why they should vote for him/her (or why they shouldn't vote for the opponent).  This can include television, radio, mail and internet ads, debates, interviews, and appearances designed to convince the voter who is best for the job.

Candidate: A person who is trying to be elected

Citizen: Only U.S. citizens can vote in elections.  States and local elections may also require that individuals live in the state or local area for a specific period of time to vote in those elections.

Debate:  Candidates for the same office meet to discuss their differing views on the issues before an audience. 

Eighteen: U.S. Citizens must be 18 years old to vote.

Election: The process of citizens choosing the winners from among candidates for different jobs/offices and deciding important issues.

Polls:  This word has two meanings when it comes to elections.  Polls are gathered by asking people questions about issues or candidates to get an idea of what people are thinking. Polls are also the places were voters go to cast their ballots on election day.

Register:  People must provide information to a central authority before casting their ballots. They must prove where they live; different places have different jobs and issues (like sheriff, city council, county commission, issues like special taxes, etc) for people to vote about, it is important to be sure that people vote in the right place!

Vote:  Every citizen's most important responsibility.  Making individual choices among candidates and about issues by secret ballot.

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